The Importance of Multicultural Education:
Reading this article puts me into my mind that teacher plays biggest attitude in implementing multicultural attitudes in education however, this will be stagnated if it is perceive as an addendum instead a need. Curriculum can be a barrier to achieve this if teachers have to care only about preparing students to meet the standardized examination progress. There is a need to for teachers to put connection in their daily teaching between multicultural education and subject and skill based curriculum. This can be achieved by making examples and subject related meaningful and connected to colored students. The examples must be inclusive to colored students as well instead of focusing only to White. Sometimes I am thinking, is not it possible to portray Superman as a colored man instead of White? Of course, that is just an example which is not impossible. Perhaps, teacher should be aware any stereotyping that happen in his/her class by addressing it to students openly so that they will be aware of the problem.
The author writes, “ Teachers should use multicultural content,perspectives and experiences to teach reading,math, science and social studies” however, I am thinking the suggestion suggested by writer won’t be changed when the textbooks themselves are written by White Anglo- Saxon middle class and of course will bring their perspectives and ideas in the textbook. There must be multicultural teams not among textbook makers but in the level of suggesting and lay outing the curriculum in national and local level. If in a factory we can have diverse races that work together in every sector, why can’t we have a diverse multicultural group in obtaining/developing our curriculum?
The Reconceptualization of Curriculum Studies.
After reading this article, I can conclude that there are three school of thoughts within curriculum studies and they are; traditionalists, conceptual empiricists and reconceptualists. Economy and history play role in the development of these school of thoughts however, we must not neglect and belittle between one school of thoughts to the others as they contribute much and every of them have pros over others. In fact, we need to see it as a complete system that supports each other. Our aim must be focusing on having significant intellectual growth.
In my own opinion, these three diversion in curriculum studies are originating from three broad learning theories; behaviorism, constructivism and cognitive. However, in this post modern era, when learning and knowledge are in fact a decision making process, and coming from diversity of opinions and beliefs, I think curriculum studies should focus on connectivism in order to make learning smooth.
Tags: connectivism, curriculum, education, reflection of modern education, schools